Metro Council Democrats, GOP spar over budget

Democrats and Republicans on the Louisville Metro Council are at odds over the budget process, with the GOP calling for Marianne Butler to resign as chairwoman of the budget panel.

The Democrats responded by releasing an emailed statement Tuesday disclosing the GOP’s request and accusing the Republicans of politicizing the process.

The Republicans immediately responded with an email of their own accusing the Democrats of airing the council’s dirty laundry in public.

And the Republicans reiterated that they believe Mayor Greg Fischer and the majority Democrats are not funding capital projects in their districts.

The disagreement is rooted in a May 9 email sent by Republicans — who are outnumbered on the council 17-9 — to Butler their “wish list” for more than $3 million in projects in their districts, most of which are centered in eastern Jefferson County.

Tuesday’s Republican email said, “It has been the practice of the council and the chair of the budget committee to deliver the budget priorities of the council” to the mayor in advance of his budget presentation.

But they were disappointed, the email said, to find that there were no capital projects in their districts, representing “more than one-third of the population.”

“After questioning what seemed to be an obvious oversight,” the email said, “Republican members became aware of the fact that their priorities had not been received by the administration. Councilwoman Butler initially denied receiving this list, then denied that the request was received on time, and finally denied that the list was intended for the administration.”

Because of that, the release said, Councilman Keven Kramer, R-11th, the minority caucus chairman, met privately with Butler on Monday and asked her to consider stepping down — “in hopes that this issue could be resolved quietly.”

The GOP asked for Butler to respond to their request by 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Tony Hyatt, spokesman for the council Democrats, declined to comment on the Republican contentions, saying the Democrats’ release “speaks for itself.”

Butler, Welch said, is “in her fourth year as budget chair and ... looks out for the community as a whole, while helping members from both sides of the aisle.”

Butler was quoted in the release as saying that “every year I have asked members for a wish list” and work with council leadership, including Republicans, “to see where funds may be found and allocate any funds left for council discretion.”

Council President Jim King, D-10th, said that “the budget process has been collaborative and bipartisan these last four years.”

While the Republicans “allege there are no large capital projects in their districts,” the release said, “the fact is there are many Democrat districts with no projects also.”

The mayor proposed some $10 million for upgrading Metro Parks, community centers and other city-owned properties. The Democrats noted that Fischer also funded equipment such as police cars, plow trucks and fire equipment that also serve the community.

Fischer spokesman Chris Poynter referred questions about what he called “bickering” to the council.

Reporter Sheldon S. Shafer can be reached at (502) 582-7089. Follow him on Twitter at @sheldonshafer.